The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-01-07

the inpuieA y % the natives aboard
before We had left Kc-. -nng b. fifty
miles. Tie fircmca had given the en-
eincer trouble, and the steward had .
certain sort - impuslencc in hi- obedi-
ence % commands ] did not know
until now that gang of twenty or
more u the fellows n Ke-Lung had at
tempted 70 induce the captain % give
them passage to tho island ~ T<ceusan.
which we meant 10 visit They had o.
fcrcd big passage money and were will
ing 70 put up with any accommcda-
tons, but he miStrustcd them. and
firmly declined 20 have one IL
them aboard. The steward ami fire
men were soundly bcrafed BY the cap
tain and threatened with irons II any
more trouble occurred. and there the
matter was dropped. AT the close Of
the second day we dropped anchor on
a small island to the southwest II
Tsccn-an called Kung-Wah. There was
no harbor. but the depth 81 the water
enabled Us 10 get within cables
length 81 the beach in comparatively
| sheltered spot.
Captain Tabor had traded ut this
island year before. and he knew that
the natives were all right As long a
they Were kept in awe by a superior
force. There was trader ON the ISL
| and who had large stock IL roots. and
after palayer lasting two days and
nights. the supercargo finally made a
bargain with him. II was observed by
the captain that some change had come
over the natives. for on his previous
trip they had been eager to close a
bargain Al any figure named. The ma
tiyes in our crew had been permitted 10
| 90 ashore, and dozen or 50 II the
leading men Of the island had come
aboard and inspected Us II was night
Of the second day before trade was
agreed upon On the following day
we were 70 begin landing and recciv-
ing goods. There was big crowd 81
natives on shore opposite the steamer.
| and they had canoes. cafamarans and
dhows enough 10 have embarked three
hundred people. Just before night
closed in We sighted large junk com
| ing down from the direction of Formo-
"a. but gave her no particular atien-
| fion- AT about nine o'clock she came
| jogging along at tramps gait and
dropped her mud hook within two hum
dred feet 81 u. gave her looking
over with the night-glass. and as only
| five or six men could be made out on
| her decks it was natural to conclude
| that she was n trader.
| Being in port. with fair weather for
the night, the crew might expect that
| only m anchor watch would be main
| tanned The men must therefore have
been somewhat surprised when Cap
| tain Tabor invited our five natives to
/ 20 ashore. and spend the night with
| their friends. and announced To the
res; ~ rs that we should stand watch
and watch. The cook WA the only
native who did not GO He declared
| that he had enemies ashore who would
| kill him. and he was therefore allowed
4 to occupy his accustomed quarters
There were ten ~ us besides him. and
soon after the junk anchored. the guns
/ were cast loose and loaded with grape.
the firearms brought up and made
(! ready. and the engineer was instructed
70 keep steam enough to permit Us 70
move The cable was arranged for
slipping. and then five men turned in
'all standing" and the other five d u
stood watch. Before this occurred the
captain said to me:
| :. Mr.. Graham, this may be going to
a good deal Of trouble for nothing. but
the man who deals with these natives
has got 10 he prepared for any emer-
gency- II they trouble rs il will not be
until after midnight ! will therefore
head the second watch. Keep Your eve
on that junk. and permit no boat to
come aboard under any circumstances.
| distributed my men over the vessel
70 the best advantage, and reserved 10
| myself the right 10 act As free lance
That is. went from one part If the
vessel % another. and kept one eve on
the junk and the other on the beach
All was very quiet up 10 ll-W . clock
when l made TWO discoveries IN quick
succession The cook had prepared a
large dish Of coffee for our use during
the night. We hal large urn on a
stand in one corner II the dining room.
and lamp underneath kept the coffee
hot. The same thing i in general use
in American hotels and restaurants
was on the point IL entering the
cabin 10 secure drink Of the beverage
when. as had passed an open window.
heard the cover Of the urn rattle. and
then caught the footsteps Of some one
in retreat. II could be none other than
the native cook. arg;scd. but ] did
not 20 70 his quarters 20 verify or dis
prove nv suspicious entered the
cabin. turned up the light. and care
fully examined the urn The rascal
had certainly "dosed' it. There was
| grayish powder on the cover and on
the edge Of the urn. and in his haste he
had spilled some on the floor. A look
inside showed numerous bubbles on the